After 6 weeks of research, research, and more research, I have come to a formula that I am very happy with and one that I believe is the best I could create with my current knowledge. Along with the formula, I summarized the mechanisms of action for each ingredient and the reason I chose it. Throughout this process, I have learned a lot, but I am especially proud of how much biology knowledge I have gained throughout the past month––reading a scientific research paper has become so much easier than it was just a few short weeks ago.
Overall, this summer has been very productive and I have made significant progress in many areas of my project. I have started working on my summer work presentation and I am eager to show off what I have done. After my presentation, I look forward to fully delving in to developing my product positioning.
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Throughout this month, I have continued working on formulating my supplement. While the initial part of selecting ingredients didn't prove challenging, choosing correct doses and understanding the mechanisms through which these ingredients act has. My original plan was to have my completed formula done on August 18, and though I am almost done, I think it is in my best interest that I give myself a couple extra weeks to finish it until the end of August. In the end, the brand I am trying to build with this project is product-centric, and I want to ensure that my product best aligns with the two principles I originally set out for it to be: scientifically backed and correctly dosed. I believe giving myself the extra 13 days will allow me to do this. Furthermore, since I started the business portion of my project simultaneously (and 3 months earlier than expected), I am still on track––if not ahead of schedule––for the overall project. I have planned my schedule until November accordingly.
I am pretty much done with choosing ingredients, so the majority of my time as of late has been allocated to dosing and writing scientific explanations of how each ingredient works (mechanism(s) of action)—which takes considerable amount of time due to the length and reading level of the journal articles I have read. One problem I have also ran into is making sure I do not include too many potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative substances in my formula. While inflammation and excessive reactive oxygen species (free radicals) within the body can be detrimental to one's recovery, I have learned through my research that too much anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative substances can actually hurt the process of muscle protein synthesis (muscle building) because it is rooted in inflammation to the muscle. Because of this, I have debated which and how much anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative compounds to use (I am deciding between a combination of ashwagandha, tart cherry juice extract, magnesium glycinate, or methylsulfonylmethane) to ensure I do not create too potent of a recovery supplement. Lastly, one thing I have come to appreciate over these past few weeks is how my knowledge from Honors Biology last school year has transferred over into my reading of scientific studies and meta-analyses of the ingredients I have chosen. Combining that knowledge with the intermittent research I have done on my own, I can understand the majority of what they say despite the advanced language and terminology used; and it has been really cool to see my knowledge be applicable in areas outside of the classroom. My sole goal now is too finish my formula and scientific explanations for each ingredient by August 31, and then I will be able to move on to my next steps in this project. |